(a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a fish-hook assembly which will release itself, e.g. from a fish or from an obstacle.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
Increasingly fish stocks are being managed to conserve populations. Some management tools are size restrictions on the fish that may be retained and a limit to the number of fish in possession. These two regulatory functions make it implicit that some fishes caught must be released from the angler's line. Obviously the object is to release the fish so that it will live and remain a part of the population. There is also, because of catch limits, a considerable amount of sorting on behalf of anglers to end up with the largest legal size fish possible. Thus catching and releasing or selective angling is very much a fact of life in most of the organized fishing world.
Although, in some special circumstances, barbless hooks are used which facilitate releasing a fish, the vast majority of angling is carried out using a barbed hook. Not infrequently, the released fish dies because of the handling and the removal of the hook. When the fish dies the whole object of "catch and release" is lost. In a considerable number of cases it is preferable to leave the hook in the fish's body which effects a quick release and much less physical damage. Ordinary steel fish-hooks will corrode away in a short time with no harm to the fish.
The patent literature is replete with self-releasable hooks. For example U.S. Pat. No. 3,210,883 patented Oct. 12, 1965 by G. Ulsh provided a fish-hook releasing device. The patented device included a fish-hook element and an anchor member. The fish-hook element included an elongated shank having a hook on one end and a holding bead affixed to the opposite end thereof adapted to be held by the anchor member. The holding head included an enlarged outer end portion, an extended cylindrical portion of less diameter than the enlarged outer end portion and having means for attaching the shank thereto. The anchor member included a tubular shaped, one-piece body of pliable rubber-like material of predetermined elasticity having an elongated aperture of a smaller diameter than the enlarged outer end portion of the holding head. The aperture extended inwardly through one end of the body portion and into the interior of the body portion. The anchor member had an inner cavity of larger diameter than the elongated aperture and connected with the inner end of the other aperture. The reduced cylindrical portion of the holding portion of the holding head was substantially the same length and diameter as the aperture in the anchor member. The adjacent end of the inner, enlarged portion of the holding head was positioned to engage the anchor member about the outer end of the aperture. Means were carried on the opposite end of the anchor body member opposite the aperture for attaching the same to a fishing device.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,518,784 patented July 7, 1970 by E. A. Kling provided a lure characterized by an elongated body which had a forward end and a rearward end. A shaft member or equivalent component part was connected with an projected axially beyond the forward end of the lure and permitted the angler to attach the trailing end of a regular fishing line thereto. The fish-hook used was more or less conventional in construction. Separable pull responsive means provided an operating connection between the forward end of the shank and a cooperating rearward end portion of the body of the lure. The pull responsive means enabled separation and release of the hook when the hook was snagged on a rock or an obstruction and cannot be freed. The angler, when he is not fishing, could also decide at will to catch hold of and disconnect the fish-hook so that it could be replaced with an alternate fish-hook.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,648,399 patented Mar. 14, 1972 by K. R. Lloyd provided a device for releasing a fish-hook from a fishing line when engaged with a fixed object in the water, without loss of any portion of the fishing equipment other than the fish-hook itself. The patented device had a tubular housing, one end of the housing being open and the other end having a passageway through which a plunger mounted in the housing reciprocated and which was spring loaded to be urged toward the open end of the housing. An outwardly-urged, hook-engaging means was provided on the housing adjacent the open end of the housing. Means were provided for releasably maintaining the hook-engaging means in engaging position.
Canadian Pat. No. 381,250 patented May 9, 1939 by B. Whitis provided a fish-hook releasing device including a hook having a rigid shank, and means interposed between the hook shank and line to jar the hook loose from any obstruction on which it may be caught in casting. Such means included a member having a single universal connection with the shank at the end remote from the hook and a light plunger connected with the rod at the opposite end. A body member was formed with an internal bore traversed by the plunger and closed at its opposite ends. The plunger rod slidably passed through one of the open ends of the body member. A compression spring was disposed in the bore in surrounding relation to the plunger rod, with one end bearing on the plunger and the other end bearing on that extremity of the bore through which the rod passed. Means were provided for connecting the line to the body member at the opposite end from the plunger rod. Upon engagement of the hook with an obstruction, a pull on the line may retract the body member so that on quick release of the line it may engage the plunger with a sudden impact to dislodge the hook.
Canadian Pat. No. 505,074 issued Aug. 17, 1954 to E. P. Cox provided a device for disengaging fish-hooks. The patented device included a frame having means enabling the device to travel along a line attached to a caught fish-hook or to another caught object. A hammer mechanism was mounted on the frame for movement from a retracted position to a projected position and vice versa. Resilient means was provided for continually urging the hammer mechanism to the projected position. A latch mechanism was also employed for holding the hammer mechanism in retracted position against the action of the resilient means. When the device was mounted on the fish line, the latch mechanism was set to hold the hammer mechanism in retracted position. When the device contacted the caught fish-hook, automatic means was actuated to release the latch mechanism and thereby to effect projection of the hammer mechanism by the resilient means. Projection of the hammer mechanism resulted in its striking the caught fish-hook, and this resulted in effecting release of the fish-hook.
Canadian Pat. No. 587,043 issued Nov. 17, 1959 to N. L. Cook provided a fish-hook release. The patented fish-hook release included a connecting device which included a longitudinally-bored body. An end portion of the line was slidable through the bore in the body and was operatively connected to a collar which was slidable on the body toward and from a second collar also carried by the body and which was resisted by a coil spring which was normally expanded and surrounded the body between the collars. The end of the body which was adapted to accommodate the shank of the fish-hook was provided with a pair of cooperating jaws, one stationary and the other movable. The jaws were maintained normally closed by the encircling spring biased collar.
Canadian Pat. No. 1,111,249 issued Oct. 27, 1981 to Bernard Cote provided a tension release coupling from a fish-hook. The patented coupling assembly included a resilient coupling member attachable to the fish line and a connector member which is part of the fish-hook assembly and releasably coupling with the coupling member. The coupling member consisted of a one piece body of resilient plastic and non-compressible material, the body being elongated, having opposite sides and two opposite ends, and having a slot extending longitudinally thereof from one end towards but short of the other end, the slot opening at the opposite sides and at the one end and defining two elongated arms spaced from each other and integrally interconnected by a transverse bight portion at the other end and having an intermediate cavity. The connector member included an enlarged head removably insertable into the slot, the movement continuing until the head fully engaged the cavity, the head having an external surface complementary to the shape of the cavity.
Devices have also been patented to provide for the release of a weight or sinker from a fishing line. In one such device, shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,267,659 patented May 19, 1981 by R. Grasso, a sinker release apparatus was provided. The patented apparatus had a body and a sinker releasably held thereto and included a first notch in the body and a release mechanism which was mounted on the body. A portion of the release mechanism was adapted for pivotal movement within the notch. Such pivotal movement was responsive to actuation of the release mechanism by a leader line attachable to the body. The release mechanism was actuated between a releasing position and holding position. The sinker had a first hook member which was receivable within the notch and held therewithin by the release mechanism portion during the holding position. A mounting means was provided for pivotally mounting the sinker on the body and for permitting release of the sinker from the body in response to pivotal movement of the sinker.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,291,485 patented Sept. 29, 1981 by J. Koller provided an automatically releasing mounting system for releasing a weighting member from a fishing line. The mounting system included a receptacle resiliently biased into essentially conical shape. Wall portions of the receptacle were interconnected by a pivotal joint near the upper end thereof, while latch apparatus was provided releasably to connect the lower ends of the wall portions. The latch apparatus include a latch member having a wing formed integral thereto. When the receptacle hit the surface of the water, the relative movement between the water and the wing portion of the latch member caused moving of the latch member out of the associated latch-catch.